Reflections: Coda
by Irene Claire
Summary: Coda / Episode Tag for Season 4, episode 19 Ku I Ka Pili Koko. Focus on Danny and Steve. Of course Danny's injuries would have a bit of a repercussion. I know most Coda's are one chapter; this will be about four total chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Notes: **Coda / Episode Tag for Season 4, episode 19 _Ku I Ka Pili Koko_. Because the muse is multi-tasking even with a wonderful mega-story - Hoa Aloha - which is still in progress with TheDogo! (BTW, more is coming VERY SOON now that THOSE muses (_mine actually)_ have been beaten into submission (_sort of_) because they stopped playing nicely in the sandbox).

Special thanks here to Fifilla who helped rationalize some of the medical things. And of course CinderH who also manages to title things that I can't, PLUS who manages to multi-task even with the demands of too many crazy muses to count! (_umm yeah, mine again!_)

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

**CHAPTER ONE**

He fell hard. Slick, sweaty flesh to hotly baked, acrid concrete. So stunned, his brain short-circuited and all that came out was a rush of his last breath in one fell swoop. Even with a subtle limp, he'd missed their fleeing teenage culprit by a hairs-breadth of a filthy gray t-shirt. Then he'd simply fallen like a kid at playground who's feet got tangled in haste to go ass over tea-kettle.

Danny heard the buzz in his earpiece but couldn't catch his breath to reply. The chatter from the rest of his team was fast and his brain slow to cooperate. He only understood that Chin had picked up on their perp's trail and had him now firmly in hand.

_"__Report. Danny." _ Steve's voice echoed in his head at first all business, then agitated and finally settling on downright worried.

_"__Danny! Report! Where are you?"_

His return to work was recent after the treacherous building collapse which had resulted in a badly bruised right leg and a piece of rebar that had taken up a short residence in his side. It felt too soon now that he lay prone on an overly heated sidewalk only inches from a secondary road.

_"Danny. Answer me!" _Steve was nothing if not persistent and Danny's forehead creased in concentration as sweat ran down his cheeks. A slow whistling breath finally agreed to enter his lungs while he forced one hand to move to his communications link.

"Here… side alley… Good." Danny breathed out the untrue words. He coughed uncomfortably and then wished he had another bottle of water for his mouth and throat which felt like they were coated in dry chalk. In fact, Danny had a fresh bottle in the car; sitting right in the middle of the console. Cold, unopened and definitely with his name on it. He only needed a few seconds with it before it could join the three others already drained and tossed haphazardly to the back seat.

Planting his hands palm down as grit rubbed into skinned forearms, he tried once and then twice to push upwards, but his body refused to listen. Confused as to why he couldn't quite get moving, instead of wishing for water, Danny changed gears. Hanging his head limply towards the sidewalk, he focused solely on breathing while he waited for help to arrive.

"M'good." Eyes closed, Danny whispered into his hands as his teams' voices continued their discordant babble. Talking over and through each other, he stopped trying to decipher their individual words. It was difficult enough to suck in a small trickle of over-heated, humid air when the fist of pain in side began to flare more loudly.

"Yeah, m'good. Need a sec." He forced out the words just as the over-sized forbidding shape dropped next to his side. Half-heartedly trying once more to find leverage, Danny's whisper ended on a pained wheeze. Moving was definitely a bad idea as the fist became a solid brick of unyielding pressure.

"Bullshit." The worry in Steve's voice was no longer echoing in Danny's communications device, but virtually in his very air space. "Don't try to move." Danny would have smiled had he found the energy to counter Steve's upset demands, orders and questions. "Stay down. What happened?"

"Just .. tripped." Danny wheezed into the dirty concrete while he felt Steve's hands purposefully tracing his right side. The same place where a bandage still graced the wound that a rusted piece of rebar had made when it pierced his skin. Still healing, it was sore and bruised looking but hadn't been much of a problem. His only complaint earlier that day was being tired from a fitful, restless night where he finally had pulled himself out of bed in a resentful feeling of being not quite right with the world. But he'd shaken it off, skipped coffee in lieu of water, and gone into the office as always in his very punctual manner.

"Boss?" He groaned in disgust as Kono joined them, equally worried about Danny's predicament and health. "What happened?" She stood over them watching as Steve carefully removed Danny's tac-vest.

"Gangs .. all .. here." Danny wheezed uncomfortably, still astonished that he had zero desire to move as Steve's hands roamed the healing wound and then trailed down to his bruised right leg.

"Says he fell." Ignoring his partner's continued mutterings, Steve answered Kono instead. He frowned when his fingers connected with a section of Danny's side that not only made him hiss in discomfort, but also seemed more sticky than damp from sweat.

"Help me … up." Danny tried again as a firm hand settled between his shoulder blades to officially decline the request. At first cooler when his vest was removed, the warmth from Steve's hand made the heat from his sweat-laden shirt feel so much worse. Yet seconds later, Danny had an ill shiver shake him.

"Bullshit." Speaking more to himself, Steve was stuck on the one word in utter disbelief as a fevered heat rose up from Danny's body. Glancing to Kono, he made no move to do what Danny asked. Rather, he demanded that she get help to their location.

"We need an ambulance. He's over-heated… his side … it's swollen where the rebar went in. I can feel it under the bandages." Steve's conversation with Kono occurred completely over Danny's bowed head as he gasped, flinched and tried to move away from Steve's probing. Absorbing each word though, Danny completely disagreed as he tried to lift himself up off his forearms.

"If you .. won't .. help me." Danny panted and winced as bits of street gravel tore into his skinned arms. "I'll do it .. myself." But he was hissing again as a sharper and much deeper ache settled in his abdomen.

"Or, maybe not." Admitting his failure with a worried cough which only sparked more pain, Danny groaned into his fist. "What the hell … is going on?"

"You tell me, partner." Steve tightened his restraining hand on Danny's back to further prevent his partner's attempts at moving. "Stay down for a minute. Something's wrong … why didn't you say anything earlier?

"Felt .. fine. Just .. not sure… what's going on .. now." Too exhausted to roll his eyes, Danny was just as confused. The general truth was that he had felt mostly fine up until the perpetrator had taken off. Other than a malaise and lack of hunger, he'd been relatively productive at work. His first real exertion had brought on the startling realization that he might have a more physical problem.

He was bone-tired, possibly more thirsty than usual, and maybe just a bit under the weather with a lazy appetite to match. But nothing specific or so worrisome that he thought he had a real concern.

With the heat of the day though and then his attempt at a sprint, Danny felt off kilter just before a sharp pain stabbed into his side and spread at an alarming rate from right to left to settled more central to his belly. It waned as quickly as it had come. So, he'd kept on doggedly down the alley and across the sidewalk only slightly favoring the dull, stiff aches in his bruised right leg.

Then he didn't even remember the reason for his not so dramatic fall to the pavement. First he was up and reaching for the kid, and then he simply wasn't on his feet. Initially merely jarred by the heavy connection to the stifling heat of the pavement, more pain was beginning to take up a definite residence off-center to his original injury.

Becoming afraid to move lest it spark more sharpness, he allowed his head to sag forward onto his fisted hands. He couldn't bite back the moan as a sudden knife-like ache rippled from under the bandage, deeper into his middle. This time it refused to abate and Danny wound up panting in agony.

"What … the hell?" Biting his lip as it all worsened, Danny screwed his eyes more tightly closed while trying to sink away into the heat of the concrete. Steve was gently prodding the bandage again and he shook his head as the touch triggered another aching wave.

"Not .. helping. So, not .. helping." He moaned painfully, but Steve finally stopped his careful ministrations.

"Alright, Danny. Help's on the way and we'll get this figured out." Steve quietly stressed. Danny didn't know how good that actually was because his partner was calm. Much too calm, even-toned and patient; each of which separately typically spelled disaster; or in the very least, something quite wrong.

Silently Steve held up two fingertips for Kono to see over Danny's prone and splayed body. Touched with reddened droplets of blood, the tender scab had reopened and evidence of skinned road rash traced along his partner's forearms.

"On it, boss. Four minutes out now." Already on the phone demanding an ambulance, Kono looked up as Chin came their way pushing their errant teenaged felon.

"Ambulance?" Brow furrowed, Chin maintained his death grip on the arrogant teen who was less than impressed with all the goings on.

"What happened to Danny?" He asked when Kono ended the call.

"Says he fell .. he definitely reopened his wound. Something else is wrong though. Steve said there's a swelling and Danny's in a lot of pain. He can't get up." Kono glared warningly at the teenager's cackled laugh before giving him a hard shove in the shoulder. He stumbled backwards into Chin who then nearly throttled his neck to carelessly keep him on his feet.

"What was that? Do you have something to say?" Kono's voice was low and threatening. "Maybe there's something you need to tell us?"

"Nah, sista. Not a word." Unrepentant, the teenager narrowed his dark eyes right back into her face with a leer. "Wasn't me at all. Can't help it if the man can't keep his feet under him."

"Watch it." Chin ground out in warning as he pulled him away towards an HPD cruiser just arriving on scene. "If you're going to keep your mouth shut because you have literally nothing of value for us to hear, then I'd suggest you begin now."

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"This is … stupid." Danny huffed in annoyance as he battled his body's odd feelings. Sirens were coming closer and he resented the sound. Not that he could have on his own, but Steve was additionally preventing any movement whatsoever which was exacerbating his feelings of helplessness.

"Oh .. wow.. sick." Suddenly lethargic and more nauseous than thirsty, Danny ground his forehead roughly into his fisted hand. "Gonna be sick."

"Try to breathe through it. Slow and steady." Unsure of how to help except to keep his partner down and quiet, Steve's eyes widened with worry. "Geez, Danny.'

"Ahh. Maybe .. Steve." The dull ache in his side began to worsen with a vengeance to a sharper point and he struggled once more to keep a surge of needing to actually upchuck his light lunch at bay.

He heard Steve's worried curses as he gagged once, then twice only to dry-heave into his fist. "Shit, Danno. What did you do?"

"Steve?" Bewildered by his body's odd changes, Danny mumbled his partner's name more as a question. He focused on the strong hand ever present on his back and sensed Steve moving closer to enter more of his personal space. Another shudder ran through his body and Danny grimaced as he realized he'd kept his eyes closed the entire time. He hadn't opened them once since he had fallen. Panting harshly into his hands, he was sure that it was safer to stay that way.

"Just relax, Danno." Steve could feel the pained shudders increasing through Danny's back. "Concentrate on breathing slowly. You've been taking the antibiotics right?"

The question was ridiculous because that was something Danny certainly wouldn't risk, but Steve was too well aware of possible alternatives. He knew that Danny had been following doctors post followup care like clockwork. As expected, Steve saw the faint nod as he stayed anchored on his knees next to his prone and clearly struggling partner.

Sirens were pulling up quickly and he rubbed a small circle on his Danny's back as another tremble ran through his body.

"We'll get you fixed up in no time." Steve murmured. "Probably just tore a stitch or two." The excuse sounded poor though coming off his lips. Danny seemed to agree as a strangled half-laugh and half-coughed groan rattled his shoulders.

"It'll be okay. It will." Immensely worried, yet unable to come up with a single reason other than something related to Danny's recent injury, Steve's mind raced through any number of frightening scenarios.

_**~ to be continued ~**_


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Notes: **Thank you for the wonderfully exciting comments and reviews! I hope everyone has a lovely Passover, Happy Easter and a nice holiday! Everyone should be writing fun, whumpy little codas .. come on .. write and post! Do it! ;-)

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

**CHAPTER TWO**

Wrung out, Danny lay limply on his third gurney in the hospital's stepped-up trauma department. After three hours of unending questions and tests, only parts of him felt better and that wasn't saying much. Anti-emetics had ceased the worst of the nausea and morphine had dulled the pain. But his arms were tight, sore and streaked with scabby superficial cuts after being gently scrubbed clean. If he dared to move or if a doctor even traced a finger across his abdomen, his discomfort returned in spades.

_Yes, he'd been treated after the incident._

_Yes, he'd taken all medication prescribed._

_Yes, he'd seen his own doctor for a followup._

_Well .. no, he wasn't feeling entirely well of late. Sleep had been evasive and he was admittedly tired. Thirst and lack of hunger were top of his short list of complaints over the last day or so, too._

_No, he never thought that he was in trouble - that something might be wrong._

Eyes closed again, Danny had been told his diagnosis and he was surprised even if he didn't outwardly show it due to his overwhelming lack of energy. In those three hours, his temperature was also rising at an alarming rate. His blood pressure was low but at least had been stabilized, yet he still felt quite sick. He was reliant on nurses and doctors to get him from point A to point B with the least amount of distress. As the fever rose, it was easier to allow these critical decisions to be made on his behalf.

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Steve sat quietly in the waiting room at the hospital. As he had impatiently explained to the emergency room doctor, ten days earlier, his partner had dutifully been catered to by a team of paramedics at the scene of the building collapse. He had been taken on to the emergency room for triage. Danny had been released hours later after examinations proved the short length of rebar had missed major organs exactly as Steve had claimed. He then didn't have much to offer the doctors because Danny had his week off after the incident. It might not have been the week his partner had wanted, but he'd taken the time off to rest. He was diligent in taking antibiotics on schedule or pain medication as needed.

Flushed, stitched and sent home with prescription medication, Danny had made his call to Steve and that was that until he returned to work.

Now, on his second day back on the job, Danny was slightly sore but seemed none the worse for wear.

The only other clues Steve shared related to his partner's poor night of sleep and recent penchant for drinking more water than usual over the last day or two. In rummaging through the typically neat Camaro, he'd found the empty water bottles. Of all the things he had to say, those water bottles had been of most interest to the doctors.

At the time, he hadn't been told that his descriptions and evidence matched one for one with their new patient's complaints.

Flanked by Chin and Kono, Steve leaned back in the chair and reflexively crossed his arms. The cousins were equally puzzled and rendered silent by the strange affair. They'd been with Danny at the hospital after the building collapse, had gotten checked out themselves, and then had returned later with Steve as they shoe-horned him into being checked out after his confrontation with Edward Cobb, the ex-CIA Agent who had been responsible for the deadly setup.

"What the hell is taking so long?" Steve groused angrily. It was bad enough that Steve had brought such danger to his friends' universal doorstep, but the fallout seemed to be continuing. Once again, he truly had no control over it and the fear was beginning to settle deeply in his chest.

"I don't get it." Kono finally spoke into the floor while repeating herself over and over. "He was fine and the bleeding just now was superficial. Why is he in so much pain? They said he was fine a week ago."

The paramedics had been quiet on the ride in with their patient and none of the team could hazard a guess as to what was going on. Feverish and complaining of stomach cramps once he'd been transferred off the hot pavement to a gurney, Danny had succumbed to his nausea and his respiration had completely altered.

Stopped from entering the trauma area, the team ranged across three seats just outside its doors. Movement caught their eyes though, and as one, they surged to their feet as Danny's trauma room doctor strode out to them.

"He's going in for surgery." The doctor's first rushed statement completely lacked preamble and Steve's mouth flapped open momentarily in surprise. But in a way, he had already anticipated the very worst as he heaved in a deep breath to hold it nearly indefinitely.

"Surgery?" Chin recovered faster than his two friends. "He was fine .. he's been fine … what happened?"

Not entirely unfriendly, the doctor absorbed the trios combined intensity. His response was more succinct due to the urgency of his patient's needs and not lack of professionalism. "We pulled his records from the trauma he experienced ten days ago. The examination conducted at that time didn't show … and it wouldn't have necessarily shown … the superficial bruising on a section of his intestine. That same area abscessed over the last many days."

Knitting his brow cautiously as part of him hoped for anything but what the doctor might finally say, Steve had to force a rising surge of emotion into a hard check to keep his voice determinedly calm. The only way he could do that successfully was to use the controlled rush of his exhale to force his words out. "What does that mean? His injury was worse and someone missed it?"

"Not missed per se; it was something no one would have seen without a more invasive examination. From his records, Detective Williams was not presenting in a manner to require surgery or greater intervention at that time." The doctor was patient as he tried to explain what had occurred. While none of them liked it, each understood the point that he was making.

"But he needs surgery now." Steve brought the doctor back to his original statement. "Why? What's exactly wrong?"

"My diagnosis is that he is suffering from secondary peritonitis caused by the abscess. The tissues were weakened and beginning to perforate. However, that weak section has ruptured due to the onset of today's incident and subsequent severe fall he described in detail." The doctor cut to the chase quickly which the team both appreciated and found quite disturbing.

"Peritonitis. That's very dangerous." It was one of the things he'd feared and Steve ground it all out while eyeing the doctor's demeanor for more clues. He was alluding to one of the scenarios Steve had replayed scarily thorough his head, but had remained loathe to say out loud.

The doctor nodded in agreement. "He would have wound up in the hospital eventually .. very soon .. presenting only slightly different symptoms. This fall today though, hastened and possibly made worse his condition due to the ruptured abscess."

After that, Steve's rant nearly mimicked his partner's own best as fear took over and he fought the diagnosis that he sensed was coming from the physician. "How exactly did this happen? Danny was checked out and put on a medical regimen. He hasn't said a word about being in pain. He came in and got thoroughly examined the day of the explosion. You said yourself that he had no initial symptoms and no cause to be concerned. Plus, he's been fine for days now."

Frustrated and with anxiety growing heavily amongst them all, Steve glanced to the cousins to second and third what he was saying. Kono nodded vigorously to agree as the doctor heaved a sigh and attempted to explain the reason for the complication. "Detective Williams did everything right. He was prescribed the proper course of action. No one could have foreseen the bruising to his intestine which weakened those tissues."

Chin made a face and a soft sound at that. His expression begged to differ since obviously, something hadn't been done correctly. Acknowledging the doubt, the doctor continued in his explanation which did little to make any one of them feel better.

"The initial and very superficial bruise was not something a scan would pick up. There really was no real way to know that this would happen. However, the lesion became inflamed and infected over the course of this week and created an abscess which did continue to grow. There was a likely a small tear already leaking and infection beginning to enter his bloodstream."

The doctor paused when Steve shook his head dismally. "It's why he was so damned thirsty. Why he refused to eat much of a lunch, today."

"This infection was already in his system?" Chin asked to confirm that he understood the path of events only to become disheartened when the doctor confirmed it.

The four stood in a circle off to the side as their conversation continued in earnest. The doctor was thorough but wanting to move faster as he made an obvious glance towards his watch. "Yes. When he fell, the tissue fully ruptured. He needs surgery to repair the tear and remove the inflamed areas. To reduce the bacterial load in his system and to overcome the worst of the infection, a lavage of the abdominal cavity will be done while he's under."

"This sounds serious .. and he was on antibiotics." Kono hesitantly added. Her own stomach flipped when the doctor steadily agreed with the worried team. "Is he going to be alright?"

"It is serious and I certainly won't argue that point. As for the antibiotics, the strain of infection is being analyzed and I anticipate a different spectrum of antibiotics by intravenous. But first, we plan to act aggressively. He needs surgery immediately to repair the tear and combat infection before it gets more out of control." The doctor ended by looking to Steve because he knew the ex-combat officer would understand the next major hurdle should it occur; then, Steve didn't disappoint him as he finally verbalized it.

"Sepsis." The word had come out of Steve's own mouth right before he'd removed the rebar himself while trapped underground. He had said it himself and the worry had returned ten-fold that very morning. Based upon what the doctor was now saying, Danny could be right back at risk all over again despite everyone's best efforts.

'Yes, he's at a very high risk. We need to get in there … make sure that does not happen. Though it may get worse before it gets better, his chances will be greatly improved." The doctor finally offered a somewhat sympathetic smile. The mortality rate for septic shock was a startling fifty-fifty and he held his tongue for the moment as he measured their tense postures. "You can see him now. Before he goes up."

"We can?" Happily surprised, Kono dared to smile at the invitation.

The doctor grinned in return. "In his own words, he feels pretty lousy. But yes, you all can poke your head in for a few minutes."

Opening the door to the team, the doctor ushered the three into the private trauma room where Danny had been at least made more comfortable. However, it was obvious by the hectic but purposeful activity taking place around him that they only had a few short minutes before he'd be taken away once more.

"Hey." Danny's attempt at a wry smile fell woefully short. It was apparent that he didn't feel well or feel much like talking, yet he pushed through. "Doesn't hurt so bad but I guess that's the least of my problems." Gesturing weakly to the IV in his arm, he tried to make light of the pain medication being pushed into his system.

"Why didn't you say something?" Stuck on his old, senseless question, Steve strangled the foot of the bed's frame at the same moment the reprimand burst out. "Anything."

The shrug was apologetic but far from entirely contrite. "Didn't know." Danny's truth was simple. Other than minor discomfort and some fatigue which he blamed on a poor night's sleep, he didn't have any real complaints.

"From our conversation, Detective Williams has been relatively asymptomatic. He didn't realize that his thirst or loss of appetite were indicators for trouble. With the oral antibiotics he's been taking regularly, that's a common enough oversight." The doctor quietly offered and gently reminded them of those facts to support his patient.

"Don't tell me that I'm unpredictable, buddy." Steve chided him, nonplussed when Danny's face pinched into a somewhat amused squint.

"You? No, Steven. You are never unpredictable. You my friend, are the exact opposite." Danny managed a thin smile as the doctor tapped his watch to indicate he'd be moved very soon once the orderlies arrived.

"Grenades, bombs, big guns .. nope. Unpredictable you are not." Danny added while ticking each off on a finger. While the pain had been lessened considerably, none of them missed the uncomfortable wince and pinked cheeks proving that the fever was steadily increasing in intensity.

"He's got you there, boss." Kono forced a light laugh as she rounded on Danny's opposite side. She was incredibly worried though as she studied her friend's face. He suddenly looked care-worn and pinched; more tired and she felt the heat rising from him as she took his opposite hand.

"We'll be here when you get back." Chin promised, looking up when the orderlies finally arrived and the doctor gestured the team away. "We'll see you in your room, Danny. You're in good hands."

The three reluctantly gave ground as Danny was prepared to be moved. Finally letting go of the bed as it was levered away, Steve was the last to stop trailing the small group before they disappeared entirely. The expression on Danny's face was one of barely disguised anxiety as the doors swung open to admit everyone through, except for Steve.

"We will be here, Danny. You're going to be fine … perfectly fine." Forced to stop, Steve further made the strong affirmation as he disappeared through the final trauma bay doors and on to the surgical unit.

_**~ to be continued ~**_


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

**CHAPTER THREE**

Danny was shivering so violently that his teeth nearly chattered in his head, and didn't know why because he was so incredibly hot. He also couldn't see and that made matters significantly more distressing. The only thing he did know was that he was flat on his back and something was laying thickly across his stomach. With an effort, his right hand found his side and the edges of taped bandages before his fingers were determinedly pushed away. Trapped up in something, he was too tired to persist when he failed at breaking his hand free.

"Bomb. Dekker." At first, he wasn't sure he said anything aloud until a demanding pressure tightened on his hand. The blast must have gone off because the tightness only worsened across his middle and he gasped at the pain he caused himself when he reflexively tried to move. Of course it had because the trapped and injured man's warning was nearly simultaneous to the concussive event.

"Off." Under the sheet, his right leg twitched and he winced again as his free hand tried to claw the space near his knee. Blocked repetitively, Danny couldn't reach it and he heaved in a shattered breath out of sheer frustration. He knew the reason for his inability to move now. Concrete, ceiling tile and a solid beam had crashed down in a rush of noise, mayhem, and powdered dust. The odor was indescribable and the darkness pitch, leaving only the creaks and groans of a wrongly strained skeletal structure sounding eerily off in the now stifling air.

"Get it … off." He pleaded for release blindly only beginning to wonder now where the rest of his team might be. Vaguely, he remembered Steve at least had been nearby.

_Vaguely_. Until he heard his proof. For a moment, Danny stilled as a steady voice made it past the white noise and confusion in his head. He knew it for Steve, but nonetheless he moaned against the insurmountable challenge of opening his eyes only to see more pitch blackness.

"I got it off you, Danny and we're out now. We're out and you can open your eyes." Steve tried tirelessly regardless of the nearly incoherent ramblings. He tried because his voice seemed to soothe the worst of his partner's feverish memories. The only minor relief he currently felt assured of was that Danny recognized his voice and seemed to know that he was there.

"There you go. We're out and you can take it easy now." Steve's lip quirked to a humorless half-smile as Danny stopped straining against his hand and sank just a bit more into the bedding. He also knew it wouldn't last long, but it helped just enough for Danny to stop attempts at tearing at surgical bandages or making restless attempts to free himself from something no longer there.

"Danny. Open your eyes." The change was faster though and Steve growled under his breath as he sensed the moment he lost the connection. Fighting fever combined with the after-effects of surgical anesthesia was daunting as Danny tried to free his hand once more.

"No. No … good." Danny badly slurred under his breath. A strong pressure held his fingers in a tight, unrelenting grip which he failed at dislodging. Steve was gone and the air was stifling to a point where he couldn't breathe and a cough rattled harshly up through his overly dry throat.

"Here. Steve .. here." Again whispered, Danny wasn't sure his plaintive call for help had actually made it passed his lips until the blood was nearly cut off to each and every one of his fingers. Suddenly, his partner was back and talking in a harsh rush where Danny was now only getting every other word at best. Weakly, he hung on doggedly as some words started to make more sense.

"I got you, Danno. We're both okay and it's over. I promise it's over, buddy." Wanting to bury his face in his hands, only Steve knew that Danny's delirium was taking him back underground. Not entirely meaning to, Steve tightened his hand in reflex to the stress. He grimaced in self-reproach until he realized what he'd done accidentally had actually brought Danny closer to a real waking state. It was the place in time that was so very distressing.

Steve watched as a nurse positioned ice packs around Danny's body despite the shivering. A cold cloth lay limply across his forehead. For all intents, the emergency surgery had been a success. However, since the infection had reached his blood stream, his temperature was spiking.

"Hmm .. what. Set-up? Where?" Jumbled thoughts came out as slurred, badly muffled sounds and Steve cursed quietly under his breath. He'd been beyond relieved to find Danny alive after the blast, distressed that he'd been trapped, and then desperate to find any sort of tool to free his partner. But now, Steve was being forced to relive the hideous look of the badly rusted and sharpened section of rebar sticking so formidably out of his friend's skin. Something terribly revealed only once he'd managed to move the fractured concrete beam.

"You're okay and everything's fine now." Steve repeated. Quickly palming his forehead, he pushed the remembered vision away to focus on Danny as a pained groan filled the room.

"Just breathe. Nice and slow." Automatically soothing and trying to coach Danny through nightmares and feverish ramblings, Steve knew that nothing he said would truly have an impact. The fever needed to run its course which would hopefully be drastically shortened by the aggressive battery of intravenous antibiotics being pumped into his beleaguered system.

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A never-ending assembly line of nurses seemed to traipse in and out of the room hour after hour to change out ice packs, check the IV lines and take so many readings of Danny's vital signs that Steve lost count. He'd insisted that both Kono and Chin leave the hospital as it approached midnight. In reality, only he occasionally understood what Danny might be muttering about and there was no need for all of them to sit staring at four walls. Plus, based upon his own personal reality, Steve felt wholly responsible for what was happening.

"Again?" Unable to help himself, Steve glared at the latest nurse before muttering about the time. He was sure that Danny would run out of blood before places in his skin to lay a needle for vial after vial for scheduled testing. Frustrated for his friend as one and then a second nurse came in to not only check equipment, but also to take yet more blood samples, Steve finally stood up.

It was the middle of the night and Danny was trembling from the near constant disruptions as another rubberized band was tightened over his bicep. Unaware of what was happening but still sensing the urgent activity, he flinched and moaned as the nurse tried to straighten his arm for the requisite vial.

"Is all of this really necessary?" With a hand on Danny's shoulder, Steve had enough for his friend's sake. Believing that his presence helped rather than hindered Danny's ramblings, he refused to leave and was committed to stay at the hospital for the duration. Now he was running interference for what seemed like over-zealous care.

Steve rolled his eyes as the head nurse came in to change out the chemical ice packs. He watched Danny weakly attempt to squirm away in complaint and vainly tried to offer support as the task was completed. Despite the discomfort though, Danny's fever had started to come down grudgingly from its highest reading of one hundred five to a lesser and much improved last reading of one hundred three point two degrees.

In the dark behind closed lids, Danny sensed the lull of an intense conversation. Slightly defensive female voices against a deeper more strident male voice. All were quiet but equally adamant. Unconsciously, he flinched as something extremely cold was placed under his arm. Others were pushed against him and he complained under his breath until those parts of his skin seemed to get used to the feeling. He only began to rouse more when he noticed the tight band around his right arm. His breathing altered and he frowned unhappily. But that was also when the deeper male voice increased in volume.

Shortly after, the rigid band magically disappeared and Danny realized that he had an advocate.

The first nurse had paused with the band still tightened over Danny's arm while the ice packs were changed out for new. Just as he calmed, she resumed her work to spark another restless surge of unhappy activity from her patient. Each time Danny seemed to finally calm, another strange set of hands was poking, prodding or wheedling a reading from his ill and uncooperative body.

"Seriously. You were just here an hour ago." Grinding his teeth as he anchored his hand firmly in place, Steve challenged her need to take yet more blood. Both of Danny's arms were bruised and even in a half-sleep, he tiredly tried to pull away when his right arm was straightened.

"Well." The nurse was young but competent and she frowned up at Steve with a brief explanation. "He's on a schedule. The lab is charting his CBC and level of infection; I can check with the attending to see if we can alter the timing now that his temperature's dropping."

According to doctor's orders, the patient was required to have blood taken hourly until improvements were seen in his overall status. While the current change wasn't very signifiant, she opted to make that decision as the Five-0 Officer's dark eyes seemed to plead some release.

Gently untying the rubber band, she stowed the rest of her phlebotomist paraphernalia without doing more. "No, not necessarily. I'll make a few notes and speak to the attending."

Managing a sketchy smile of sorts, Steve pursed his lips to send out a puff of air. Once the band had been released, Danny seemed to quiet and Steve appreciated the nurse's ability to reconsider the directives.

"Thank you. He's exhausted and just starting to really get some rest.

"It's not a decision which I'm really allowed to make, so I might be back." She warned him softly before leaving the room. "But I'll double check right away and see what the doctor is able to prescribe next."

Turning back to his partner, Steve stared down at his ill face. He knew that the doctors felt the surgery to be a success. Overall, the damaged tissues were removed and repaired with diligent care. The issue now was the stealth of the infection causing Danny's fever to spike and vitals to waffle alarmingly as they gained final control over that final hurdle. The more his temperature dropped and the blood tests proved progress, the farther removed he came from succumbing to sepsis.

When the nurse didn't return after ten minutes, Steve partially relaxed into the chair he'd stubbornly become camped out on. Sensing a change as if he was being watched, Steve was stunned to see Danny shiney-eyed, but finally looking back up at him.

"Danny." Heaving in a long, deep inhale, Steve let it out in one fell-swoop. "Surgery's over and you're doing great."

"Surgery?" The roughly chuffed sound was clearly one of agitated disgust. Steve grinned as a weary and barely audible tone of disagreement was aimed in his direction. "Great? Says you who is not the pincushion."

It had taken him just a few minutes to realize that Steve was his advocate and then only a few more to force himself awake. Frowning now as he remembered what had happened, Danny's voice was barely above a thin whisper. Without having to ask, a straw was thrust under his mouth and he took a tentative sip of water before sighing in relief. The moisture was a godsend and it allowed him to speak a bit easier.

"Feel awful. Worse than awful." Danny admitted.

"I can imagine, but you are getting better." Steve's serious reply and relieved smile were so genuine that Danny forgot what he was going to say. Instead, he lay quietly to take a better stock of how he felt while simultaneously measuring Steve's appearance.

"It's late." Danny's next conclusion came with a yawn and a chilled shudder. He pursed his lips tiredly as Steve only continued to smile. "You've been here the whole time?"

The off-hand shrug offered as the only reply was not to be argued with, so Danny settled back down into the pillows with another deep yawn. "Don't need to be." Danny muttered under his breath, once more annoyed that he was fighting sleep and that Steve was still happily grinning like a loon. Blinking rapidly, Danny yawned for a third time to nearly lose Steve's face in a teary-eyed blur. "You could go home."

"I could." Steve agreed softly, only to settle himself more firmly in the side chair as if it had become a critical part of his body. This second answer compounded the off-hand shrug and Danny raised a quizzical eyebrow.

"Stubborn." Eyes closing with a vengeance but happy for the continued company, Danny was awake for only a few more short minutes. Around a very faint ghost of a smile, he huffed a guttural response to the last words he heard before losing his battle with illness and fatigue.

"Aren't we both. But you can just go back to sleep. Let me worry about where I should be, Danno." Steve continued to smile as he watched Danny's face completely relax. Squirming down in the chair, Steve allowed himself to get comfortable now that his friend had truly woken. He eventually dozed another hour until disrupted by the soft presence of the head nurse who was adeptly checking Danny's vitals. She was so quiet, Danny never moved as she finished her tasks and nodded in approval.

"Hundred and one point two." Her personal satisfaction as the temperature came down digit by digit was amusing and Steve had to grin. Danny was definitely calmer, too. Sleeping peacefully for the most part as his ramblings ceased and his face eased in what had been overwhelming distress.

"Thank god for that." Steve mumbled under his breath. Loathe to leave, he dug in with a deeper tenacity. Once Danny was clearly out of the woods, he'd be able to sleep. Until that happened, he continued to hover .. and think.

"He's doing well now though. Without a doubt, he will feel better tomorrow." The head nurse kindly noted. "But I can just imagine that all of this was quite a scare for him and for everyone."

"I'm not sure you can imagine just how much." Just under his breath, Steve didn't speak loud enough for the nurse to hear him. He chuffed a remorseful sound as more truths came to mind. There was a very good chance that only Steve knew of the depth of Danny's fears, whether they be situational or of an emotional rejection. Duly confided in, his best friend absolutely had a boat-load of very significant issues. But not a single one wasn't in a firm state of button-downed control.

Steve grimaced and then scowled angrily as he thought about the trap they'd been lured into. A trap meant for Steve alone because of his continued personal vendetta. But before that even occurred, Danny had willingly .. no demanded .. to partner with him to Cambodia.

"Who does that, Danno?" Steve muttered under his breath as his hand toyed with the edge of the white bed sheet. "Not someone who's afraid."

In fact, if his partner was indeed so frightened of nearly everything in life, then why did he even do what he did? Danny anticipated and expected almost everything to go wrong for himself. When it happened, it proved his negative stance on life. It validated his empty glass. It really was beginning to be the only issue that Steve felt Danny actually had.

"But you've never once walked away. Even when you didn't agree; and you can disagree quite loudly at that." Brow pinched tightly, Steve muttered about his own actions. Why didn't Danny think that he deserved more when he fought so hard for his friend's own successes regardless of the reasons or poor odds?

"I don't get it." Steve realized that he certainly didn't understand Danny as much as he had thought. A confused sound deepened in his chest. Danny had used both Rachel and his parents as examples of where his overwhelming crazy negative thoughts might go or even had gone.

He had married even with negative thoughts swirling in his head. He feared future failure .. future rejection. Then, for all his doting on Rachel and attempts at being perfectly _perfect_, his wife still had served him with divorce papers. He had been rejected. The action proved the cruelty of his marriage despite his best efforts. He had been rejected yet still tried .. he still held out hope.

Wanting for his life to be happily full, Danny was tragically the opposite, glass half-empty personality. Yet he gave his all to everyone else — and with uncharacteristic optimism.

So, it was much more complex than that.

The very specific complaints, rants and argumentative words were only ever going to be for Steve's ears, too. Well before Rachel entered the picture, a fearful man would not choose a career in law enforcement and then, excel at it.

A negative man would not obsess over his daughter and yet still present her with the freedom of reaching the moon.

Duty outweighed fear. Loyalty outweighed fear. And surely friendship and family trumped all; especially quaffing the feelings of negativity and even the fear of rejection.

Steve narrowed his eyes while measuring the deeply sleeping face. "Claustrophobic my ass."

He had personally witnessed the true results of deep-seated fears; mostly panic, an inability to think or follow orders. He would never belittle or begrudge his friend's purported problems, but he certainly gave him credit for never once falling victim to them.

Rubbing his face, the confusion still remained as Steve sat and waited. Not once did Danny lose it before they'd made it out of the ruined building. Not once before his leg had been freed; not when he had the brief conversation with not only the rest of their team, but with Amber. There had been zero evidence other than the purge of words. Words that would have been impossible to utter if Danny had panicked to believe he was going to suffocate.

Afterwards, Danny hadn't even complained or justly thrown the real reason for the trap into Steve's face. He had every right to do that based upon the near tragic depths of Steve's own personal vendetta. Going forward and without a single doubt, Steve knew that Danny would simply be there, too. Because it didn't matter; none of it really mattered when compared to friendship.

And a truly fearful man would make all of that matter. He would have left a long time ago based upon justified paranoia if any of Steve's own issues, personal vendettas, and dangerous single-minded battles truly _mattered_.

"You are something else." Steve's voice was barely audible. His best friend was a confusing mix of supposed fears and negativity more than adequately balanced by the largest and most stubborn streak of courage he'd ever experienced.

As Danny fidgeted in his sleep to find a more comfortable position, Steve grinned at the sweat dotting his forehead and the unconscious way a few stray fingers brushed against the newly bandaged wound. He was sure the fever was coming down more as his partner's face lost its abnormally pinked hue.

"Yup, Danno. Claustrophobic my ass."

_**~ to be continued ~**_


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Notes:** I can only say that I am thrilled by everyone's kind reviews. Thank you for reading, reviewing and enjoying! Thanks once more to Fifilla and CinderH for advice and beta help.

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

**CHAPTER FOUR**

It was completely filled by thick floating grayish motes of concrete dust, but it was there. _"Come on, Danny. Let's go."_ Coughing through a surge of hope and adrenalin, Steve wrapped both arms around his partner and simply pulled him towards the new opening. The thickness of the spoiled air was definitely broken by filtered light from above and Steve was not about to waste any time.

_"Worked?" _Stunned by the success of Steve's homemade '_bomb_', Danny choked out the one word and tried to help but the pain was skyrocketing and lack of oxygen had finally depleted his system. He had nothing left to give with one arm tightly wrapped against the bleeding wound and another weakly pushing off rocks and twisted metal needlessly as he was hauled backwards towards their one and only route of escape.

Within seconds, Danny found himself positioned on his knees. He was facing Steve now who was in precisely the same kneeling position except Steve's hands were flying. Unable to stay upright, Danny bowed his head and leaned against Steve's chest as buckles and straps were expertly fastened. Completely tapped, he was coughing and a strap was snugly placed over his duct-taped wound, but he hadn't dared complain.

_'We're okay. Do you hear me?" _Nose to nose Steve had his hands planted on Danny's shoulders, then moved to his face as he tried to tilt it up. Danny blinked almost confused when real filtered light lit them both up in platinum and gray. _"Danny, they're going to pull you up now. You're okay and I'll be right behind you._"

_"Worked?"_ Danny said it again as if in a daze.

_"Yeah, Danno." _He barely watched as Steve rechecked the safety harness before his body started to move. His weak kneel became a flopped doll-like stance but Steve's hands kept him straight as he lost touch with the ground. Steadily, the ruined chalk-gray walls of the hole moved past to be replaced by brighter and brighter sunshine.

Dropping tiredly back to his knees, Steve forced his head up and his eyes to follow. The thudding ache in square in his temple had never let up and had only worsened with each and every step. The harsh coughing rattled it even more and he carefully palmed the space to no avail. He waited ever patient as Danny's body briefly blocked the light and then the safety harness reappeared as if by magic. With the same practiced ease, Steve didn't need to worry about his own nearly debilitating pains as his fingers automatically fastened the harness around himself and he gave the one firm signal.

With one hand on the chest strap and the other wiping sweat, blood and chalky-soot from his face he rested his forehead on the safety line. The movement upwards was almost immediate. As he got closer to the surface, the normal noises of life trickled in more and more rapidly. Jumbled voices, shouts, sounds of machinery got louder and he managed a jubilant smile as the sun finally hit his face.

_"Yeah, it worked."_ Steve muttered under his breath. _"Go figure."_

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Towards dawn, Steve moved first after having fallen asleep upright in the chair. He remembered the dream as he drew in a weakly shattered breath. Blotting at his forehead, he was not surprised to find cold beads of sweat. Night-time quiet still lingered on the hospital floor but it was apparent that more activity was coming to life as shifts changed and new noises echoed in from the corridor. Leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees, Steve buried his face deeply in his hands to just listen.

He sensed that his partner was sleeping more quietly than he had in many hours. The restless fidgeting and muffled protests had ceased a long time ago as the fever lost ground and the aggressive medical intervention won out. Steve's request to minimize interruptions as best as possible had evidently been granted because he could only recall one time when someone had sneaked in to steal more vials of blood. If it had occurred again, Steve had slept through it which was possible, but it wasn't entirely likely.

Still bent over at the waist, Steve frowned while staring at the linoleum floor. He was tired and stiff from the awkward position, but he had no right to complain with Danny laying flat-out in a hospital bed. Something that was indeed, his fault.

His responsibility.

And it had nothing to do with the proper police procedure for vetting a lead as Danny had so diligently advised him early on in the failed arms deal. At the time, Steve had been almost offended by the casual and quite sarcastic reminder. But it was all wrong.

"No, that wouldn't have done a blessed thing." Steve glared at the white linoleum while muttering into his hands. Vetting Dekker's lead would have revealed the exact same false truth and they all would have proceeded anyway. Frustrated by what they now all knew in crystal clear hindsight, Steve cursed what they had learned after the fact.

Only after he had played so well into Cobb's deadly hands and it scared him to death. Not only his partner, but so many other innocent people could have been hurt or killed. Steve barely breathed for a minute as he closed his eyes. "Damn it, Danny." His voice was weary, tired and the tone fully apologetic.

Chin and Kono would not have felt so inclined to aggressively revisit Halawa.

Danny still would have gotten hurt.

Dekker would not have had the encouragement to be so forthcoming on what he'd been fed to lure them to the parking garage. He never would have been let loose on his fellow inmate who'd been so handsomely paid off by Cobb. They would have known _nothing_.

_Danny still would have gotten hurt._

"This damn thing would have happened anyway." Sighing in disgust, Steve shook his head abysmally because even knowing it, he couldn't stop .. and Danny would always be there.

_And it utterly scared him to death._

Waking so sober, Steve unraveled his body to get to his feet. He stood over Danny for a few minutes to realize that the ice packs were gone, sheets had been changed and at least the intravenous lines for basic fluids had been removed. Danny's right forearm had taken the brunt of his skidded fall just the day before. The long, narrow scrapes had already scabbed, but bruising had popped up and down along his arm from wrist to elbow.

Standing there quietly, Steve noticed one other thing. Danny was indeed sleeping more naturally and his color was normal without a single trace of fever. As the doctor had warned, things did get much worse before improving. It mimicked the building collapse before his 'bomb' had worked ... before they'd gotten out after the second, terrible collapse.

_"Worked?"_

_"Yeah, Danno."_

The memory was terrifying but he didn't have time now to wonder or dwell on what would have happened had he failed. Standing over his partner as he calmly slept through the remaining morning hours, Steve smiled.

"You're going to be okay." Steve gratefully whispered. "Perfectly fine." The upswing was well in progress and Danny would really be fine.

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O***

Danny slept more deeply as his temperature returned to normal due to the strong battery of antibiotics. Waking fairly comfortably, Danny frowned almost instantly when he opened his eyes to see splintered sunlight beaming through partially drawn blinds. The last thing he remembered was his late night waking where even the hospital itself seemed to be sleeping. Now, the room was bright with real light and a hum of activity was easily reaching him from the hallway.

His frown deepened when he saw the two people standing just near the foot of his bed. Standing sentry and looking over the doctor's shoulder, Steve was reading what looked like Danny's current hospital charts. Curious, Danny cocked his head and watched as he nodded and then said something to the doctor who oddly seemed to agree.

"Nosy." Danny said with a slight tilted raise to his eyebrows. "I know you're my health care proxy, but I don't recall saying that you could read my actual medical files."

"Just looking." Instantly beaming, Steve's grin nearly split his face in two at the dry complaint. Even the doctor seemed pleased that his patient had deigned to finally awaken.

"How do you feel?" Quick to get to the point but not needing an answer, Steve was nearly bouncing on his toes as Danny dared to yawn. He blatantly checked his watch before rudely walking to the window to thumb the shades open. His action wasn't lost on Danny who squinted and then rubbed his face against the obvious sunlight. For his part, Danny refused to give Steve the satisfaction of asking what time of day it might be. Though based on the angle of the sun, it could strangely even be very late morning.

Happily returning to the doctor's side, Steve took the chart literally from his hands. "Blood tests are better with only a trace of infection; and your temperature is almost normal. You've given everyone quite the ride these last few hours."

"Me?" Petulantly, Danny's bottom lip pushed out at the same time he squinted warningly. He could definitely smell cooked food now which absolutely indicated he'd slept completely through breakfast and proved lunch was being served. "If I recall correctly, I was the one given the free ride to the hospital and you clearly still lacked a medical degree."

He determinedly maintained his squint as the doctor huffed out an odd chuckled sound that was absolutely something amused. As the physician walked over to better provide an update, he moved the light sheet aside to prod the surgical area.

"The surgery went very well. You should be feeling much better at this point." The doctor confirmed. Danny nodded, remembering full well the terrible pain in his abdomen and how the heat had nearly taken each labored breath from his lungs. Looking down where the doctor gently palpitated the wound, Danny absently traced the new bandage as if also testing the level of ache.

"You're looking much better than the first time I saw you, Detective." The doctor concurred over Steve's pleased snort.

"Yeah, well." Danny nodded in agreement. Still a bit tired and sore, he couldn't deny that he felt better, though it had been a rather alarming and very unexpected problem. He raised the bed to a more comfortable angle and sighed in relief when nothing worse happened. If anything, Danny realized he might be a bit hungry.

"So, doc." Danny began with a more content and approving expression. He glanced to his partner who now had his arms folded at the foot of the bed. He was still smiling and looking from him to the doctor expectantly. For some reason, Steve's suspicious posture made Danny look twice before asking his question.

"Today you think, or even maybe tomorrow? If things are so good .. and I do feel better .. laproscopic surgery is easy enough." Already thinking about being released for a few more peaceful days off from work, Danny pulled a thoughtful look for the doctor's sake. He missed Steve's soft laugh which was muffled just in time behind his fist.

"I'm happy to say that the surgery was successful and though the infection did reach your bloodstream, we have it well under control now. So, in another four or five days we can discuss your release."

"What?" Eyes suddenly wide, Danny carefully pushed himself up in the bed. Ever helpful and still smiling, Steve quickly raised the head even more so that his partner had a better vantage. However, Danny barely noticed the aid as his mouth dropped open in alarm.

"What?" Danny repeated lamely. The stunned look was aimed directly at the doctor's self-satisfied expression. "Four _days_. Did you just say _days_?"

"Well, yes. There's still traces of bacteria showing up in your bloodstream." Almost dumbfounded by the strong reaction, the doctor lost his smile as he delivered the unrelenting news. Faltering, he regained some equilibrium to finish his edicts before sidling slightly away from the bed.

"I'd like to see you up and on your feet sometime this afternoon. But you will be gracing us for just a few more days."

Folding his arms happily, Steve was beaming now as Danny came fully awake to glare at the physician who had just saved his life. Wisely staying quiet, Steve merely shrugged at the doctor's growing predicament as his patient fully woke. He left the man to wallow for himself as a once fairly quiet patient became steadily more recalcitrant.

"You need to stay until all the tests come back entirely clean and after we fully complete the proper regimen of treatment." The doctor continued despite the dark cloud growing over his patient's face. "You could have a relapse .. real sepsis ... the results of which would be much more difficult to manage."

"Four days?" Not entirely listening to the rest of the litany, Danny remained stubbornly focused on the originally quoted length of time. As he momentarily stilled when nothing else was offered, the doctor took the opportunity to excuse himself from the room on the pretense of needing to check something at the nurse's station.

"I don't believe this!" Danny went to speak once, then twice before partially turning with a wince towards Steve once the doctor had made his escape. "This is entirely your fault! If you hadn't dropped an entire building on my head .. this never would have happened in the first place."

"You're right." Steve was completely unable to lose his smile as Danny tried to fold his arms and then thought better of it as the motion pulled the healing skin across his stomach.

"Excuse me?" Their eyes met and Danny paused in his tirade to measure the validity of the expression he now saw on Steve's face. The smile was there, but smaller and much more solemn. It communicated an inability to stop despite what had happened and regardless, Danny knew that he'd always have his partner's back.

"I said, you're right." Steve reiterated his comment, barely able to refrain from asking what partners usually did after dropping buildings on another's head. The ridiculous thought almost made him laugh out loud and Steve schooled his face quickly when Danny glowered in return.

"Four days, Steven. Four." Danny didn't know what else to say at that point and he was failing at remaining stern as a rueful, lop-sided grin broke free. So, he wound up only being able to throw his hands up in the air as a sign of defeat. When the next answer was a short period of silence, Danny purposefully held four fingers in the air between them to compound his point. "Four very long, boring days."

Steve shrugged happily, bit his lip and did laugh. The bond was too strong for anything else to be the case. Nothing would change; but nothing needed to change.

_**~ END ~**_


End file.
